Going all-out in bursts improves your distance running

WHEN you think "running", you very likely think of running a 5K or 10K. It's about putting one foot in front of the other for several kilometres in a workout that'll leave you dripping with sweat and your lower body, thrashed.

Sprinting, however, in its purest sense, is about getting to your top speed, something you can only hold for a matter of seconds. It's about truly accelerating your body and owning every phase of your stride, about going all-out. It's not easy either. Just a few seconds of true sprint can leave you gassed.

But learning this art can make all your distance-running workouts even faster and better. You'll see yourself setting new personal records in those 5Ks and 10Ks, and you'll have a new option for a quick calorie-burning session, too.